


A longing feeling for closeness under the pretext of protection

by Arukaine



Series: Billy/Ritsuka Fics [1]
Category: Fate/Grand Order
Genre: Character Study, Developing Relationship, Fluff, Guns, M/M, Platonic Relationships, Relationship Study, Shooting Guns, Target Practice, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-15 01:55:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29676633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arukaine/pseuds/Arukaine
Summary: Ritsuka Fujimaru comes to the conclusion that he doesn't have many skills beyond the few spells he knows as a mage and his ability to summon Servants at will, so he decides to ask one of them to teach him how to use a gun to defend himself.That Servant is no other than his most trustworthy Heroic Spirit, Billy the Kid.
Relationships: Billy the Kid | Archer/Fujimaru Ritsuka
Series: Billy/Ritsuka Fics [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2209998
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11





	A longing feeling for closeness under the pretext of protection

“You… want me to teach you how to shoot a gun?”

Dumbfounded, Billy repeated the same question that his Master had asked just a second ago; most likely due to the surprise of hearing such a request coming from him. Sitting on the chair next to the mage’s desk, the outlaw finally shifted his attention to the young male standing in front of him, trying to study him to guess if his master had been simply trying to joke, or if he meant exactly what he said.

Noticing that curious and expectating shine in his eyes, it didn’t take him too long to realize Fujimaru Ritsuka was completely serious.

“Oh, gee… why would you want to learn about that, anyway, Master? If it’s protection you’re worried about, you have multiple Servants to watch your back at all hours, including me if it ever came to it. A mage like you would never need a gun, after all” reclining against the chair, Billy crossed his arms as he tried to understand the young boy.

He thought he had Ritsuka completely figured out, that he could read him like an open book at all times and use it to his advantage to always know what he was thinking. It was an ability that had always come in handy during the multiple battles his Master had brought him along, allowing the young outlaw to know most of his orders before he could even mutter them - although that didn’t mean he did exactly as he was expecting him to do. Fujimaru Ritsuka was a predictable person in combat, which clearly showed his inexperience despite the misadventures and dangers he had to face until now.

Luckily for him, Billy knew exactly what to do when his Master was at a loss or the enemy had figured out his master’s biggest weakness. He would never allow them to get the upper hand against the young mage.

However, in their daily lives, away from all battles and fights, Ritsuka was unpredictable, he was impulsive and acted only on personal whims, always blurting out whatever thought was passing through his mind without much worry. While that was a quality the outlaw and his Master shared, it only made it harder for Billy to figure out the mage’s motives sometimes. It was his own weakness to deal with types too similar to him.

“I know that” his Master answered him, calling the outlaw back to reality from his own deeper thoughts “But last night I was looking at the silver bullet you gifted me for Valentine’s Day... And it got me to think that I really want to learn how to use a gun” Ritsuka started pacing around the room, articulating his speech’s point by moving his hands unnecessarily. It was a quality Billy had picked up from his Master a long time ago, one he had learnt to appreciate, as it was amusing to see “And of course, there was no one else I could ask about this but you! I’ve seen the way you use your gun and your movements in combat far too many times, you’re so skillful and you always land a precise shot right between the enemy’s eyes, so I really wanted to ask you because you’re the best at this. Besides, it was your gift that gave me the idea in the first place, so… I know it’s a strange request, but what do you say?”

Now, hearing the young mage saying such words of praise towards him was something Billy could never get tired of, they had almost caught him off guard several times and made the young outlaw blush at receiving such eulogies. On top of that, Ritsuka had asked such a crazy idea to him only because he trusted him the most with his skills and abilities. Somewhere inside the young Servant’s heart, a warm feeling started to arise whenever he looked at his Master, with that genuine enthusiasm. It was almost endearing, childlike even, probably a hint that the mage was still young and innocent despite the hardships he had endured. 

Billy wanted to cherish that innocent curiosity and keep it all for himself, but that was simply a story and thoughts left for another day.

“Don’t let my gunman skills and my gift get to your head, Master. That silver bullet was simply an expression of my gratitude, a charm for good luck. I never intended for you to fire that shot” despite Ritsuka’s praise, the outlaw Servant wasn’t so sure if it was a good idea to teach him how to use a gun. If his only reason was that he had childish admiration for his skills, Billy simply couldn’t imagine his Master being prepared for the feeling of holding a gun and pulling the trigger when aiming at his enemy. After all, it was one thing to use Servants to aid him in battle for his quest to save humanity, Fujimaru Ritsuka had proven he was strong enough to have that responsibility, despite never asking it for himself - but actually carrying the weight of taking a life with his own two hands, with his finger still on the trigger… How ready was his Master to be in that situation? 

Not like Billy would allow the young mage to ever face something like that, though. He would never let his Master find himself in a situation where he would need to protect himself, as long as he was by his side. Ritsuka had certainly taken a big liking to the outlaw Servant, always bringing him everywhere no matter where they went, always training with him and always chatting with him, enjoying his company a bit too much compared to his other Servants. Billy considered him amusing and interesting, probably the most fun he had had in years when interacting with someone, and he always loved tagging along the other boy even without him asking.

Fujimaru Ritsuka was certainly a peculiar and endearing individual, so it was only normal that Billy had ended up reciprocating most of the young mage's affection towards him.

“I didn’t mean I wanted to use that bullet! It’s a gift from you, so I cherish it very deep in my heart. I always keep it safe in my drawer next to my bed... And I often bring it with me when we go out on quests or to a singularity, in my pocket. But,” Ritsuka stopped pacing around the room, finally coming to a stop by standing in front of his Servant, a longing expression on his face “I was thinking, if I ever found myself in a situation where I couldn’t depend on my Servants, where I couldn’t have _your_ aid in battle, and it only came down to me to save myself… I’m only a mage with the power to summon people from the past to help me, but if I got denied that right at one point, I want to be able to protect myself, without having to depend on others to be by my side” seeing the outlaw’s hesitance plastered all over his eyes, no matter how much Billy tried to hide it, his Master got down on his knees, clinging onto his pants “Please, Billy. I promise not to use a gun against an innocent, if that’s what you’re worried about. Only for self-defense… I think it’s the best skill I could learn, and you’re the only one I can trust with this”

His Master kept pulling down on his trousers, making it almost a bit embarrassing and difficult for Billy to try and adjust them, otherwise he’d soon find himself only wearing his underwear in front of him. Finally managing to break free, the young Servant decided to get up from the desk chair, properly adjusting his clothes now that he could, and turning his attention to face Ritsuka, who was still looking up to him while on his knees.

“Fine, fine. I’ll teach you. You don’t have to beg me this much… Come on now, what’s a master like you doing kneeling in front of a Servant like me?” offering him a sympathetic half-smile, Billy offered his Master a hand so he could get up. 

That same innocent and enthusiastic shine he saw minutes ago returned to his Master’s eyes, so bright and full of excitement. Taking Billy’s hand, Ritsuka got up and his own two feet and hugged his outlaw Servant, thanking him over and over again. Maybe he was a little too hyped about this whole thing of learning how to use a gun, but he couldn't hide his happiness about having Billy help him fulfill his little wish. The young mage knew he was in no way going to ever reach his Servant’s skill levels, it was simply impossible, especially as a human, but he trusted him to be the only person who could teach him how to, at least, defend himself.

Maybe Fujimaru Ritsuka could be childlike and endearing at times, but there was no doubt that he could be quite mature and responsible when needed to be. He wasn’t humanity’s last hope for nothing, after all, even if the young mage had never wanted to be in this position. Despite his several qualities that Billy could consider flaws in certain situations, Ritsuka still remained a reliable Master, one that only seeked to protect the people he cared about and do his job. Maybe he really was mature enough to learn how to hold a gun in case things really went south.

After all, Billy was only a servant, and Ritsuka was just his Master. Their relationship could end one day, and the young outlaw would have no way of protecting him anymore, so it was up to him to teach Ritsuka how to protect himself, in case he failed to be there. Even if it wasn’t a part of Billy’s plans, he simply couldn’t predict the future.

And quite frankly, while the mage had a good relationship with most, if not all of his Servants, Billy didn’t trust his Master’s life in any of their hands, despite Ritsuka never once neglecting his relationship with any of the others. He valued them as allies and Billy could observe the way his Master shaped his personality and adjusted himself to them to keep them pleased, in a way that almost seemed fake to those who truly knew him. Billy could call the young boy a manipulative person all he wanted, but at their core they were similar individuals, one more innocent and younger that had turned out like this because of the situation he was forced into, and the other was just simply born and raised like this into a difficult world. Billy wasn’t free of sins and flaws, yet he knew he would never turn against his Master, swearing to always protect him. 

Compared to all the other Servants Ritsuka had to find ways to get along with or get them to fight for him, Billy considered himself the best to keep his Master safe. So he wasn’t going to give another one the privilege. Maybe he was being conceited, but he didn't care enough about what others thought of him. If their name wasn't Fujimaru Ritsuka, Billy the Kid simply had no genuine interest in them.

“Now, let’s find a place where we could train - I doubt Da Vinci-chan would be very pleased if we made a mess in one of the rooms around here at Chaldea, so how about going to a simulation?”

That way, at least his Master’s life would be safe while they trained to protect him for future dangers.

* * *

Having entered one of the simulations without DaVinci’s knowledge, nor from the other people working at Chaldea under the current circumstances should have been a risky choice, but Master had insisted he didn’t want to ask the others for help. It wasn’t the first time he had accessed a simulation or trained under one, but Ritsuka wanted to properly spend some alone time with Billy while they started their secret training.

The idea of learning how to shoot a gun hadn’t been as impulsive as his Servant had thought, since he had been debating it every night in bed for a bit longer than he wanted to admit. Now that he was finally going to learn how to use one, the young mage could barely contain his excitement, even though he tried to appear serious in front of Billy, who seemed to be preparing some sort of shooting targets out of materials they simulated. He wanted to look like he was taking this in a responsible manner. While it hadn’t taken a lot to convince the outlaw to teach him how to shoot, he didn’t want Billy to perceive him as if he thought this was all a simple game.

Maybe Ritsuka’s excitement, in the end, mostly boiled down to the fact that he was spending more time with his preferred Servant, away from everyone’s prying eyes and looks. He could rejoice in Billy’s presence just for a little longer without being interrupted for useless demands and requests that he didn’t care much about from others, but that he had to accept with a smile to keep them happy.

The young outlaw that had accompanied him in so many battles and missions, almost from the very beginning, had always shown a wide smile on his face to everyone, a feature he seemed to have been born with. Everyone agreed that Billy was impulsive and independent, perhaps due to his skills as a Servant, but he never seemed to stop being cheerful and childish in his own jovial nature. He was never seen without his mischievous smile and his particular sense of humour, almost as if the blond boy was unable to ever get upset or annoyed by anything. 

However, that wasn’t the entire truth to him.

Ritsuka had gotten to know the real Billy in more depth, witnessing his smile drop from his face as he acted in a more serious and rational manner, always so observing, when the situation called for it, or whenever they were alone. The young Servant’s cheerfulness and smile were only a mere mask to hide away his true self, so blunt and pragmatic. It didn’t mean his childish and mischievous nature was fake, it simply meant he always decided to show the latter qualities to the others, with no intention of acting another way.

“Okay, this should be enough for now… Needless to say, your enemy won’t stay in the same place waiting for you to shoot at them, but the sooner you learn how to aim, the better. Maybe we should ask DaVinci-chan to help us simulate moving targets for your next lesson… if you’re able to pass today’s, Master” with a playful and mischievous smile plastered on his face, Billy made his way towards Ritsuka.

The young mage wanted to protest, not wanting to bother DaVinci and let her know about their little training (even though she would most likely not even bat an eye as she would just mindlessly help them create a better simulation, but Ritsuka didn’t want to begin to imagine the amount of teasing from her that he’d have to endure), only to stop his line of thought when he saw Billy handing him a gun. Not just any gun, but Billy’s own weapon. His trustworthy revolver that he used in every fight, the one that was capable of unleashing his own powerful Noble Phantasm. Ritsuka would know how it looked by now far too well to recognize it immediately.

It almost felt like a privilege to be able to hold it all by himself, an overwhelming amount of responsibility and power residing inside the simple revolver. And yet, much like Ritsuka had trusted Billy with teaching him, the latter had trusted him with his powerful weapon, so he felt honoured. When he tried to pick it up, however, he got stopped by his Servant who gently grabbed his wrist before he could move his hand another inch.

“Before you proceed… I know this might be redundant, Master, but always remember to never pull the trigger unless you’re planning on killing or at least injure the enemy to take the advantage, got it?”

“G-got it” with a pleased smile, Billy handed the gun at last to his Master, their fingers brushing ever so slightly with each other’s. The young outlaw didn’t doubt that Ritsuka knew about all of this, yet he felt the need to warn him. Noticing his Master was about to place his finger on the trigger immediately, probably unconsciously, Billy quickly corrected this by showing him how to properly grip it. 

“Keep your finger off the trigger unless you’re ready to shoot, Master. You don’t want to accidentally waste a bullet, or hurt yourself. Always keep your hands on the grip and your index finger like this” It almost felt too gentle and delicate when his hands adjusted his Master’s fingers and their position “And never point it anywhere but down until you’re ready to fire, either”

“Oh! Okay…” what his Servant had just told him should have been obvious for the mage, but having no experience with guns definitely was starting to show. His brain and heart were slowly beginning to realize the true seriousness behind this training “It… feels a little heavier than I expected”

“That’s because it’s not a toy gun, buddy” with a cheeky smile, Billy moved to place himself behind Ritsuka. Despite the latter being slightly taller than him, he had no issue seeing what was in front of him over his Master’s shoulders, to guide him. “Now, try pointing with your gun at the first target. To aim, simply try to align the front sight with the rear sight. Should be easy enough, try closing one of your eyes if it helps you at first” When he noticed the way Ritsuka was pointing at the target in front of them, Billy let out a sigh “And don’t lock your elbows like that, you’ll just strain yourself. Relax your shoulders, too, you’re too tense”

“This is a lot of information just to properly aim at a target” Ritsuka had meant it as a little joke, to clear and get rid of his own tension, as he tried to follow Billy’s instructions down to a T. Somewhere inside the mage’s heart, he wanted to impress the young outlaw by learning quickly. Masters were supposed to find pride in their trustworthy Servants, but Ritsuka only wanted Billy to be proud and impressed with him.

“What, you’re starting to regret this now?” Billy’s tone had sounded playful, cheekily playing along his Master’s joke. He felt Billy’s rough and firm glove-covered hands adjust his arms and his posture before they covered his ears. “I’m only covering your ears because you’re not used to the sound. Don’t get scared when you hear the first loud bang, or if your ears start to ring. You’ll get used to it eventually. Now, take a deep breath and try getting the first target” 

The young mage tried not to get too distracted with his Servant’s touch on his skin, even if Billy’s hands had always been covered by those same rough gloves he wore all the time. While he took them off sometimes, the young Master wished he could hold and feel his gentle hands more often, rejoicing in his warm touch. Shaking those thoughts away, however, since it wasn’t the right time nor place to think about that, he tried to focus on the target Billy had prepared for him, and following his instructions, he aimed the gun and squeezed the trigger.

With a loud bang, Ritsuka missed the shot. He couldn’t help but feel disappointed when he saw the bullet mark quite farther from the point he should have hit.

“That was a good first attempt, don’t get discouraged now just because you missed it” Billy didn’t remove his hands from Ritsuka’s ears, even if, much like he had mentioned earlier, he could begin to hear a distant ringing “Good for not moving your arms from the position when you aimed it first - if you ever miss a shot, you’ll need to quickly adjust it for the second attempt, observing and analyzing why you missed it. This should be an immediate reaction in the future, your brain will start to help you faster with it when you’re used to it, but for now, try aiming a little to the left and a little higher. Fire again”

 _Bang_. Missed shot again.

“Very slightly to the right, and now shoot”

 _Bang_. Aim slightly higher again, take a deep breath and keep your hands steady. _Bang_. Too high now, aim a bit lower. _Bang_. 

Ritsuka had closed his eyes by impulse everytime he pulled the trigger, from the loud noise of the revolver and the overwhelming feeling of firing the gun in his hands, so Billy’s words had been a lifesaver during his training. When he finally opened them again after this last attempt, he saw the bullet had gone almost right through the center of the target.

An overflowing sense of joy rushed through the young mage’s veins as he turned around, accidentally letting go of the revolver and letting it fall to the ground as he wrapped his arms around Billy, ecstatic.

“I did it! Did you see that?” Maybe the young Master was a little too excited by this, but he couldn’t help but feel happy about his little accomplishment.

“Oi, be careful with my revolver, Master” while Billy had meant to scold the clumsy boy who was hugging him tightly right now, he couldn’t help but let out a chuckle as he embraced him back, rejoicing in the young mage’s warmth. His body had always radiated so much heat, his arms always so welcoming - he couldn’t really be mad at Ritsuka for having dropped his gun. 

Separating from their comfortable embrace, the young outlaw crouched down to pick up the revolver laying at their feet. He could hear his Master mutter out a sheepish apology, all while he opened the cylinder to check the remaining shots, carefully slotting new bullets into the barrel. 

“You’ve only used up 5 bullets on your first attempt, good job. You only have 6 per barrel, so be mindful of that or you’ll find yourself without any left” While ammunition wasn’t something he had to worry much about as a Servant, he knew he would have to teach the mage about reloading and safety before firing a shot, as well as different type of guns. Maybe that could be their next training, if Ritsuka wanted to keep going with their lessons. Billy hoped he would “You got the hang of it pretty fast, but it’s only going to get harder from now on, Master. You just passed your first lesson and I won’t let you slack off”

“Of course I’m not going to slack off” showing his usual enthusiastic smile, Ritsuka took the revolver from Billy’s hands again, gripping it the way he had showed him at the beginning, always pointing down “Besides, I have the best teacher with me, so I can only improve from now on, right?”

“... You’re saying that so casually, you’re just going to make me blush if you keep praising me, Master” trying to laugh off his Master’s praise as a simple exaggeration, Billy couldn’t hide the crimson colour that slowly started to appear on his cheeks, even if for a single second. The young mage was still so fascinated with the gun in his hands and was happily looking at the target from earlier, unable to believe he had done that, so with some luck he wouldn’t have noticed the reaction he managed to get from his Servant. 

There it was again. Even if Ritsuka always tried to appear serious and responsible, often objective and leader-like but never merciless, whenever he found himself spending time alone with the young outlaw, he couldn’t help his most easily impressionable and excited side from coming out. It was hard to ignore that the Master in front of him was still a child, even if he was closer to his young adult stage than his teenagehood. Billy knew that the person Chaldea and the rest of the world had placed the responsibility of saving humanity on was still young and inexperienced, even if he tried to learn quickly to adjust to his situation. Much like with wanting to learn how to shoot, Fujimaru Ritsuka was always giving his all.

Yet this side of him was Billy’s favourite, a side that much like the outlaw hid his own serious and pragmatic side away from nosy eyes to trick others into thinking he was more childish and carefree than he really was, so they would let their guards down while he kept his up, Ritsuka hid his biggest innocence from people he couldn’t say he was close with, so they’d think he was a more responsible and serious person than he was and that they could trust him. The young mage was always alert and keeping a façade up, only letting himself be free in situations like this. Billy wondered how many Servants knew this side from their Master. 

He would have been glad to learn the one that Ritsuka trusted the most was himself and no one else.

“Now then” deciding to clear all thoughts about his Master away, Billy walked towards him, beginning to feel Ritsuka’s tension rise again as he covered his ears. Was it because he was holding his gun, or was it his presence behind him? “Let’s begin your second attempt, Master. Aim at the second target and fire, I think you can handle just as much by now, right?”

Taking a deep breath, Ritsuka tried to clear his mind completely and focus, even if with his excitement, he had almost forgotten how to aim again. Billy’s presence was somewhat of a distraction when he could feel him right behind him, but his desire to improve and impress his Servant was far bigger than anything else.

And thus, with that wish in his heart and his motivation to become a more self-sufficient person, Ritsuka pulled the trigger again.

**Author's Note:**

> Nobody was writing Biriguda so I had to take matters into my own hands. If you read this little self-indulgent fic to the end, thank you! It pleases me and I would love to know your thoughts.
> 
> A huge thank you and shoutout as well to [@Neotsumi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neotsumi/pseuds/Neotsumi) on this site who inspired me to finally write my own work for my favourite ship with their Robin/Gudao one-shot. Check them out!


End file.
